11-07-2025
Porridge, Puerto Rican rap and lucky pants: Inside Henry Pollock's match-day routine
Video clips of Henry Pollock's half-time address during Northampton Saints' victory over Leinster in the semi-final of the European Champions Cup revealed just what a vocal influence the 20-year-old rookie is in the changing room.
Here the British and Irish Lions back-row forward reveals details of his pre-match routine to Telegraph Sport.
Contrary to his animated on-field persona, much of Henry Pollock's pre-match routine is designed to keep him in a relaxed state of mind, beginning with a card game with his team-mates the night before the game.
Night before: Card games
'The night before I would get a takeaway and play some cards with some of the lads, we play a game called 'a---hole' or Blackjack,' he says.
'A---hole' is a well-known game in the rugby world: the loser has to buy a round of drinks or pay for the takeaway.
Match-day morning: Porridge and visualisation
'On the morning of the game I normally have a bowl of porridge and I play some more cards with the boys to try to keep my mind off the game and remain as relaxed as possible. When I get to the stadium, I will walk around the pitch and visualise myself playing.
'I walk around the pitch to visualise myself in different positions in defence or an attack and receiving kick-offs. Just trying to get the mind slowly ticking over so when you go on the pitch, it's not like a massive shock.
'Every kind of stadium and pitch is different. So just kind of getting my mind set on the game and with the feel of the pitch.'
Pollock, who starts on the blindside flank for the Lions against the AUNZ invitational side in Adelaide on Saturday, will seek to retain a sense of calmness with a surprise choice of music.
In the dressing room: Puerto Rican rap
'I guess pre-game I am very chill,' he added. 'I listen to Bad Bunny [a Puerto Rican rapper]. He is my top artist at the minute. I listen to him just to relax and also learn Spanish alongside my rugby. You probably expect me to be listening to something very different on my headphones, but it is likely to be some Spanish song that I don't know the words to.
'We have a family home in Menorca so when we have been there you always hear it in the bars and nightclubs. I picked it up there and enjoyed it and the Spanish speaking.
'I haven't really had anything kind of mentally, I don't really like to think about the game too much. I guess doing all kinds of sports when I was growing up was very beneficial, getting that hand eye coordination. When I was 16, I was still playing cricket, rugby, tennis and athletics. You've got to enjoy it.'
Lucky pants, cutting socks and head tape
Some players are superstitious in their pre-match routine. For Pollock it involves socks and tape.
'The way I do my socks is always the same,' he added. 'I cut them at a certain length, have grip socks underneath and then wrap some tape around them so it looks the same each time. Also, the way I do my leg tape and my blocks.
'I also wear the same boxer shorts each time, Step One.'
The distinctive black head tape he wears to protect his ears has become Pollock's trademark, with kids turning up for games at Northampton wearing black tape to mimic him.
'It is because of my ears which are actually quite big,' he said. 'I hate the feeling of getting like them rubbed in the tackle. I used to wear a scrum hat, but I used to just go like a tomato, so red.
'I started thinking, what could be the next thing below that? I used to wear head tape under my scrum hat, and then my scrum hat used to always fall off, and so I ended up just wearing the head tape.
'Touch wood I haven't got a cauliflower ear yet. It is kind of mad it has become a big thing. When I rock up at Saints, and all the kids have got black head tape on. It is cool I guess, it is not something I would expect but it is only going to grow the game.'
By then he has already studied video clips of the opposition to assist with his decision-making at the breakdown.
'The main thing you look for is where the tackler is,' he added. 'Are you the tackler or are you an assisted tackler? Depending on that, if he is in the way, it is probably best to leave it. I also scan to see where the ref is. If the ref is on the side of the tackler, then potentially he's going to see the tackler. It is picking the right time to go over the ball. I guess it's definitely something that I'm still working on. I love getting my head in there. And if I get whacked, and I get whacked, if not, hopefully I come up with the ball.'
Ready for battle
By the time he approaches kick-off, Pollock admits that his calm and reflective mood changes.
'I'm pretty on edge by then,' he added. 'In the change room, in the huddle, I definitely get hyped up and try to get the boys as hyped as possible. I'd say I'm pretty vocal in the changing room before games and pick on some weak individuals.
'You are encouraged to be yourself and I am not going to shy away from being vocal in huddles or voicing my opinion. If you like it, great. And if you don't, I guess I don't really care that much.
'I guess all players have been picked for a reason, that they think that you can make that Test squad. So there's nothing to lose. The Lions comes around once every four years, and I think you'll be kicking yourself if you look back on the tour and you haven't put your 100 per cent effort into it.'
